Oak and Hickory?

Embers To Ashes

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 14, 2011
Messages
269
I cut down some sticks from a tree that is either oak or hickory. I baked them at 220 for 2 hours and they are completly dry now. Is it safe to put in the enclosures with my Ts?
 

Mammothdog

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
41
Yes but watch out for mold. Usually the mold occurs were the wood hits the substrate.
 

Dr Acula

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
336
I recently did the same with oak, also nuked it in the microwave. It's in 3 of my T's enclosures and no problems so far.
 

esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
The mold is a naturally occurring breakdown of the sugars in the wood which were alive when you clipped it. Dead branches will also grow fungus, as the cellulose, which is a polysaccharide (chain of sugars) and other polymers of sugars are broken down (pectins, starches ect).

The ONLY way to avoid this is to keep things dry or let them rot before hand and keep them not so wet. I advise you to just keep the air flow up and not worry about the fungus which appears. Unless the enclosure is stagnant, the fungus will not harm your animal.
 

BQC123

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
413
Yes but watch out for mold. Usually the mold occurs were the wood hits the substrate.
+1

The only thing I have found very reliable for mold resistance in very humid enclosures is cork bark. If you watch for mold you may find certain woods that work well for your enclosure.
 

demasoni521

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
20
I've tried wood from the backyard too. Most of time, it grows mold. I highly recommend cork bark. It doesn't mold, and it has a very good texture and looks great. You can probably get cork bark tubes at a petstore or reptile expo and cut it down to size.
 

LeilaNami

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
2,164
Oak and hickory are excellent terrarium woods. They are hardwoods and are resistant to mold.
 

esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
I've tried wood from the backyard too. Most of time, it grows mold. I highly recommend cork bark. It doesn't mold, and it has a very good texture and looks great. You can probably get cork bark tubes at a petstore or reptile expo and cut it down to size.
The cork is filled with suberin, which is a waterproofing polymer which is both bacterial and fungi resistant. Those cells are dead at maturity and bone dry unlike wood which is filled with cells which were busy storing sugars and happily alive.
 
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